Background
: Specimens obtained by means of a endoscopic bite biopsy are too small and superficial to arrive at a correct histological diagnosis of gastric submucosal tumors. However, Strip biopsy which was devised and developed to obtain larger and deeper specimens of gastric mucosa has made it possible to diagnose and resect submucosal tumors.

Methods : Strip biopsy was done in 26 patients with submucosal tumor lesions who visited Seoul Medical hospital from January in 1992 to August in 1994, and clinical characters including histopathology were evaluated.

Results : Mean age of patients was 47.5 years old. The sex ratio of the male to female was 1:1.17, The removed gastric lesions were mostly from 1.0cm to 1.9cm in size(38.5%), and the biggest lesions was 4cm in size. According to Yamada type, type I was most common(46.2%). The most common location of lesions was gastric antrum 12(46.2%). The common clinical symptoms were epigastric pain(46.2%), epigastric discomfort(26.9%), nausea and anorexia(26.9%), and indigestion(23.1%), These were non-specific symptoms, compared with other gastric lesions. Histopathologic examinations revealed that the leiomyoma was most common(26.9%), and the remainders was heterotopic pancreas(7.7%), gastritis cystica profunda(3.8%), telangiectatic blood vessels in submucosa(3.8%), benign stromal nodule(3.8%), severe edematous & fat cell at submucosa(3.8%), hypertropy of muscularis mucosa(3.8%), microretention cyst(3.8%), and as only mucosal lesion, fundic gland hyperplasia(19.2%), chronic gastritis(15.4%), tubular adenoma(3.8%) and adenocarcinoma(3.8%). Bleeding from the artificial ulcer was developed in Two cases and these patients could be treated endoscopically. But, there was one case with gastric perforation which tumor was 4cm in size.

Conclusion : Strip biopsy, by which large and deep specimens can be obtained, is a useful procedure for the purpose of diagnosing gastric submucosal tumors. But, it is considered that 4cm sized tumor demands partial resection for complication, gastric perforation.